India, Sri Lanka and Maldives to collaborate on security India’s Deputy NSA attended meeting hosted by Sri Lanka
Meera Srinivasan in military and security col- COLOMBO laboration, assumes signifi- India, Sri Lanka and the Mal- cance in the region, in the dives have agreed to work wake of the current geostra- on “four pillars” of security tegic dynamic that India cooperation, covering areas shares with Sri Lanka and of marine security, human the Maldives. Earlier this trafficking, counter-terro- year, India aired security rism, and cyber security, in concerns over China being a recent virtual meeting of awarded development pro- top security officials of the jects in an island off Sri Lan- three countries. ka’s northern province, The Deputy National Se- Pankaj Saran close to India’s southern curity Adviser-level meeting border. was hosted online by Sri Region after a gap of six Lanka on Wednesday, and years. Engagement with Quad chaired by General LHSC Sil- Following up on that, the On the other hand, the Mal- va, Chief of Defence Staff Deputy NSA-level meeting dives’s engagement with and Commander of Army of this week identified “four members of the India-Unit- Sri Lanka. Pankaj Saran, De- pillars” of cooperation in ed States-Japan-Australia puty National Security Ad- Marine Safety and Security, grouping, known as the viser of India, and Aishath Terrorism and Radicalisa- ‘Quad’, has been growing Nooshin Waheed, Secretary, tion, Trafficking and Organ- over the last year, especially National Security Adviser’s ised Crime, and Cyber se- in the area of defence coop- Office of the Maldivian Presi- curity, a press release from eration. The Ibrahim Mo- dent participated. the Indian High Commission hamed Solih government here said on Friday, adding signed a ‘Framework for a Intelligence sharing “specific proposals” for Defence and Security Rela- The discussion comes nine cooperation in each area, in- tionship’ agreement with months after National Secur- cluding joint exercises and the United States last year, ity Adviser Ajit Doval visited training were discussed. an initiative that India Colombo for deliberations The ‘Colombo Security welcomed. with Secretary to Sri Lanka’s Conclave’ among the three In November 2020, the Ministry of Defence, Kamal neighbouring countries Maldives received a Japa- Gunaratne, and Defence Mi- seeks to “further promote” nese grant of $7.6 million for nister of Maldives, Mariya maritime security in the In- the Maldivian Coast Guard Didi, in which the three dian Ocean Region, and was and a Maritime Rescue and countries agreed to expand initiated by President Gota- Coordination Center. Mean- the scope of intelligence baya Rajapaksa in 2011, while, Male’s foreign policy sharing. when he was Secretary to choices are increasingly be- Their meeting marked the Ministry of Defence, ac- ing challenged by sections, the revival of NSA-level tri- cording to a media release mostly opposition groups, lateral talks on maritime se- from the Sri Lankan Army. wary of “Indian boots on the curity in the Indian Ocean The initiative, grounded ground”.